Pat Buchanan: US Has 'Deadbeats,' 'Freeloaders' for Allies

Most of the United States’ allies are "deadbeats and freeloaders" who have punted their role in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in the Middle East, political commentator and former presidential adviser Pat Buchanan said Thursday on "America’s Forum" on Newsmax TV.

"Intending no disrespect, many of our allies are deadbeats and freeloaders," Buchanan said. "Only three or four of the NATO countries spend 2 percent of its GDP on defense. We're carrying the hog to them there, and the same with the Baltic. The Iranians, Hezbollah and Assad are fighting ISIS to the death. Where are the Sunni allies of the United States? Where are the Turks?

"They could take out ISIS in a month in Syria. They're not doing it. Where are the Saudis and the Gulf Arabs?"

Buchanan said he agreed with Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton that the United States should have the strongest defense in the world, "but the idea that we're going to fight everybody else's wars is preposterous," he said.

Cotton was the chief author of a letter, which he signed along with 46 other Senate Republicans, that was sent to Iranian leaders warning that a future U.S. Congress could reverse any nuclear deal.

"We're less threatened than anybody else on Earth, and we ought to start looking out for number one, looking out for America first."

The U.S. invasion in Iraq — which set off a revolution in the Middle East — is "the worst strategic mistake the United States has made, certainly in my lifetime and maybe in its history," Buchanan said.

Most of the United States' allies are "deadbeats" and "freeloaders" who have punted their role in the fight against the Islamic State in the Middle East, political commentator and former presidential adviser Pat Buchanan said Thursday on Newsmax TV.